Books Shopping Guide

Whether you’ve always loved to read or you’ve recently developed a new interest in reading, having access to a wide variety of books is a great way to increase your knowledge on a variety of subjects. However, a common issue that many readers encounter is that they simply don’t know what to read. There are many book genres worth checking out, so here’s a general idea of what you can expect when you’re browsing at the bookstore.
Fiction Vs. Non-Fiction

Fiction books contain stories and circumstances that did not actually happen. They reflect characters that don’t really exist in real life. However, non-fiction books cover situations and circumstances that have actually happened and sometimes follow accounts or stories that have been provided by real people.
Drama/Action/Adventure

If you like stories where something is always happening and more complex plots are involved, you might be more interested in the genres of drama, action, or adventure. The themes of these books vary, but generally feature a hero or heroine in very intense circumstances.

Romance

Those who can’t resist a good love story or enjoy stories where there’s a happy ending may prefer romance genre books. As a reflection of just how popular this genre is, many romance novels have actually been adapted to films.

Self-Help

If you’re interested in learning ways that you can improve your life or the lives of those around you, self-help books are a good option to consider. These books provide a lot of advice and insight into common social issues and personal concerns.

Science Fiction

The science fiction genre tends to focus on imaginative scenarios that center around technology, science, futuristic scenarios, and time travel or space travel. Due to the nature of the circumstances in these books, sometimes there are mysterious creatures or apocalyptic scenarios.
Fantasy

These types of books tend to be set in other worlds or mythical settings. Similarly to science fiction, there may be references to creatures that are otherworldly or would not normally exist.

Suspense/Horror

Before suspense and horror films became popular, these genres were extensively covered by books. If you’re not afraid to find out just how vivid the imagination can be, these genres can easily keep you at the edge of your seat for hours.

Educational

People typically associate educational books with textbooks, but the genre goes far beyond use in the classroom. Many people turn to educational books to help them prepare for professional exams, learn a foreign language, or delve deeper into a topic that they wouldn’t otherwise learn about in an academic setting.
Key Factors to Consider When Shopping for Books

Acknowledging the aforementioned genres, there are a few final points to keep in mind when you are shopping for new books to add to your library. Narrowing down these aspects ahead of time will make your shopping experience quicker and easier.

Format – In the past, if you wanted to read a book, you were limited to hardcover and softcover formats. As technology has progressed, however, there are now many different formats for enjoying books including various types of e-reader devices and even audiobooks. If you don’t really have time to read but you still want to enjoy a story during your spare time, audiobooks are often a popular alternative. If you love reading but you don’t like dealing with the inconvenience of packing several books with you, confining your purchases to digital versions that can be read on an e-reader is an ideal option.

Versions – Another important point to keep in mind is that all versions of books are not created equally. Sometimes when a book inspires a film or a television series, you might encounter various versions of that book that are different; they may have details that are not included in the original version or may be adapted to suit their film and television representations. If you like to read books that have been translated from one language to another, this is another situation where versions will vary; different interpretations of translations can provide you with completely different implications within the text.

Book Clubs – Individuals that like to always have access to new book recommendations may want to consider enrolling in a book club program. Many bookstores and online companies now offer these and will provide you with several books to choose from for purchase each month. This is a great option if you’re never certain what you should read next.

Special Editions – If you’ve ever encountered a book or a series of books that you’ve absolutely fallen in love with, you might want to consider investing in a special edition. Special editions or collectors editions of books generally have unique or customized hard covers, additional art included, and information that you would not usually find in regular editions of the book.